On this day in 1764 John Wilkes was ejected from his seat in Parliament for seditious libel. But don't feel sorry for him. He'd get his seat back. Also, don't confuse him with John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's assassin. More on that Wilkes below.
John Wilkes was born into a humble but well-to-do family in London in 1725. He went to college in the Dutch Republic which gave him a sympathy with non-conformists. All have always been welcome in Holland. Back in England he made a good marriage which gave him financial independence. He and Mary had one child then separated before their tenth anniversary.
Wilkes did not remarry, but gained a reputation as a rake, which is surprising considering his looks. He had an unsightly squint and a protruding jaw and was declared the "ugliest man in England" by those who knew him. But he also had charm, which like love, conquers all. He reminds me of Boris Johnson. He said if he was given a month's head start over his rival, he would always be the winner in any love affair.
He was elected to Parliament at the age of 32. This was during the Seven Years War (French and Indian War in North America). He supported the government's war policies, but when the government changed and victorious Britain was too generous in Wilkes's opinion to the defeated French and Spanish, he started a magazine that criticized the new government.
In those days you could get in serious trouble for ridiculing powerful people, which Wilkes did in his North Briton. He fought a duel with a political enemy (both missed) and was later arrested for insulting the king. There was a thing then called a general warrant whereby the government could arrest anyone for any reason. In court Wilkes claimed Parliamentary immunity. The judge agreed and Wilkes was set free. Parliament immediately eliminated immunity for insulting kings.
Wilkes continued his insulting ways and in the next duel he was shot in the belly. He recovered from the wound. Wilkes next tried his hand at pornography. He wrote a salacious poem titled "An Essay on Woman". The Earl of Sandwich, who Wilkes had pranked previously, took this opportunity to read the poem in Parliament where it was declared both obscene and blasphemous. Now Wilkes was really in hot water and he took off for Paris before he could be arrested. He was tried and found guilty in absentia and was declared an outlaw.
Wilkes hoped the government would change, but when it held steady and his money ran out, he returned to London and turned himself in. He was sentenced to two years in prison. He had lost his seat in parliament as an outlaw, but once out of prison, his constituents re-elected him. The charm was still working.
Parliament kicked him out twice more before finally declaring his opponent the winner. Wilkes then got a position as alderman on the London city council. He eventually became mayor, another similarity with Boris. In 1775 Wilkes was elected again to Parliament and this time they let him stay. The Revolutionary War had just begun and Wilkes and several colleagues opposed the war against the Americans.
In 1779 Wilkes was appointed Chamberlain for the City of London. He was basically chief financial officer for the city. The next year the Gordon Riots took place. These protests started off peacefully enough but eventually turned into a week-long that makes our January 6th insurrection looks like a friendly constituent visit.
When the mob couldn't get into Parliament, they turned on the Bank of England. The bank was Wilkes's baby and he led troops against the mob to protect the bank. This damaged Wilkes's credentials as a radical and he left Parliament again, this time voluntarily and stayed busy with his appointed positions until his death at age 72.
Wilkes's campaigns for protections for the common people against the power of the government inspired the authors of the American Bill of Rights. John Wilkes Booth the assassin was named for his distant relative. Wilkes-Barre, PA is named in his honor. I'm not sure who Barre is.
 |
| ...the right of the people peaceably to assemble... |
Comments
Post a Comment